


Santa Baby

by LightsOut



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-03 03:06:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2835731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightsOut/pseuds/LightsOut
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tracking down Santa in a shopping mall whilst wearing an elf costume wasn't on Natasha's bucket list but her life was just that strange.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Santa Baby

**Author's Note:**

> This can be read as the Christmas after the events in my other fic 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' but you don't have to read that to read this.

As soon as they were done Natasha was going to crawl into bed for the rest of the holiday season. Christmas was fine if you were into that sort of thing but she’d been tracking their target for four days and she was sick of shopping malls. It didn’t help that she had Clint in her ear humming along to the Christmas songs that were endlessly on repeat.

Phil spoke, “Hawkeye, do you actually understand the term radio silence?”

“Yes sir, but Natasha looks like she needs cheering up. You look sexy in those green tights Nat.”

If she wasn’t surrounded by hundreds of kids she would flip him off. Instead she kept her fake smile in place and handed out more candy canes. She’d worked a lot of strange missions during her time at SHIELD but if anyone ever tried to dress her up in an elf costume again she’d kill them.

Phil said soothingly, “Not long now.”

That was a relief. The thick tights were itchy and if Clint made one more joke about her fake pointed ears she was going to fill his arrow quiver with Christmas pudding. Finally the Santa sat in front of Starbucks started to move.

Phil gave the green light and Natasha followed at a leisurely pace. She followed Santa to the staff section of the mall and the deserted corridor was a blessing. Natasha continued to hold onto her wide, fake smile, “Excuse me, can you tell me where the bathroom is? I’m still pretty new.”

Santa turned around, “Fuck off.”

Natasha gasped and smirked, “Now that is no way to talk to a lady.”

Natasha would’ve taken him down in three moves or less if the door behind him hadn’t opened. The new guy didn’t look like staff and he had murder in his eyes. Natasha was familiar with the expression. Santa started to run past her. He went back into the busy crowds and Natasha was willing to give him a head start. Natasha wasn’t about to let someone else take the credit for a job she’d spent four days on so she stopped the guy who tried to follow Santa and relayed, “A third party is after Santa. I need a retrieval at my location right now.”

Phil answered, “I’ve got him. Go after Santa but don’t traumatise any kids. Fury’s still complaining about the last incident.”

Clint interjected, “I’ve got him in my sights. He’s by Dunkin’ donuts.”

Natasha walked briskly towards the doors, “I’ve got him.”

Chasing Santa through a shopping mall three days before Christmas without causing a panic turned out to be one of the most harrying experiences of Natasha’s life. Eventually she pinned him down in Macy’s and she made her arrest quietly. It wasn’t her smoothest mission to date and if she didn’t wear a hat with bells on it ever again it would be too soon, but the mission was complete. She was planning on burning the elf costume. It would be a wonderful cleansing ceremony.

Clint was waiting for her outside of the store wearing the biggest grin he could muster, “The green colour suits you.”

She glared, “Fuck off.”

She stormed through the mall which was now swimming with SHIELD agents and Clint followed, “Do you want to drink vodka until the outfit is burned from your memory?”

“There’s not enough vodka in the world, but I’m willing to try.”

They passed Phil at the entrance and Clint called out, “Hey, Nat wants vodka and I made eggnog, you coming?”

Phil caught up, “After your Halloween punch I’m not sure that drinking anything you make is a good idea.”

Clint was walking in between them so he threw his arms around their shoulders, “Aww, it wasn’t that bad. You were only in medical for two days.”

Phil gave him a half-hearted glare and Natasha shook her head. She never would’ve guessed that they would become her chosen family but she could admit reluctantly and silently that she was rather fond of them. She was just glad that they’d finally put an end to their pathetic pining during the previous Christmas. Now they were both equally pathetic in a whole different way.

Clint started talking about their plans to volunteer on Christmas day and Natasha fell back a step to watch Clint talk animatedly whilst Phil smiled softly at the younger man. It was a nice moment.

She was still going to burn the elf costume though.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy holidays everyone xxx


End file.
